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October 2006
Recipe
Medallions of Pork Dijonnaise
Bacon
and mustard, salty and hot, have long been happy partners and this
cream sauce binds them together. To speed cooking, I’m suggesting
you buy a piece of boneless pork loin, and cut it into steaks;
pork chops are an alternative but will take a few minutes longer
because of the bone.
Serves 4
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900g /
2lb boneless pork loin
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2-3
tablespoons flour
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salt
and pepper
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2
tablespoons vegetable oil
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125g /
4½oz thickly sliced bacon, diced
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175ml
/ 6floz / ¾ cup dry white wine
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250ml
/ 8floz / 1 cup chicken stock, more if needed
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bouquet garni of parsley stalks, 2-3 sprigs thyme and 1 bay
leaf,
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tied
with string
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125ml
/ 4floz / ½ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
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1
tablespoon Dijon mustard, or to taste
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1
tablespoon chopped parsley
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Cut
the pork loin in 8 even slices -- thickness will vary with the
diameter of the piece of meat. Season the flour with salt and
pepper. Dip the medallions in the flour, lift out and pat them
with your hands so they are evenly coated.
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Heat
the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the bacon until browned,
2-3 minutes. Remove it, add the medallions to the pan and brown
them well, allowing 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove them and
set aside.
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Pour
the wine into the pan and simmer until reduced by half, 2-3
minutes. Stir in the stock and bacon and add the bouquet garni.
Simmer until the sauce is lightly thickened and reduced by half,
about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cream and simmer for 1 minute.
Whisk the mustard into the sauce, off the heat, taste and adjust
seasoning. (If mustard cooks at high heat, it turns bitter.)
Replace the medallions and very gently heat for 4-5 minutes. The
meat should feel firm when you press it with a fingertip,
showing it is well done.
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Discard the bouquet garni. Lift out the medallions, and arrange
them on a warm serving dish or on plates. Spoon over the sauce
and sprinkle with parsley.
Getting Ahead: Medallions Dijonnaise can be cooked and kept up
to a day in the refrigerator. Reheat the pork very gently on top
of the stove until hot, taking care not to overcook and toughen
it. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.
On
the Side: In Dijon if I’m lucky, this dish comes with a crisp
potato cake, but boiled rice or pasta is a perfectly acceptable
alternative. A few sprigs of watercress on each plate will add
color.
In
the Glass: Let’s keep the style Burgundian with a cool climate
Chardonnay from New Zealand or Chile.
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